1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a server system, a collective server apparatus, and a MAC address management method.
2. Background Art
In order to operate on a network, such as LAN (Local Area Network), a MAC (Media Access Control) address which is identification information for uniquely identifying a server on the network is assigned to the server. Generally, a MAC address is written in a ROM (Read Only Memory) in a server at the time of factory shipment, and it is not intended to be changed afterward.
Therefore, if the server is replaced due to a failure, for example, or if the operation is switched from the failed server to a standby server, a different MAC address has been used. If a different MAC address is used, the configuration must be changed because other apparatuses (for example access control device and a network storage apparatus) on a network may include the MAC address of the server in the configuration of the devices.
Further, some OS (Operating System, including a driver in this case) or application software that operate on the server may include the MAC address of the server in the configuration of the software. Also in such case, the configuration of the software must be changed. On the other hand, there is a technique suggested that a MAC address written in a ROM in the server is rewritten by a special tool so as to take over the MAC address.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2004-173315 (Ichimi et al.) discloses a system provided with a system processing apparatus that is connected to multiple LAN control apparatuses. This system assigns MAC addresses stored in the address storage unit by the system processing apparatus to effective LAN control apparatuses. This system enables to assign the same MAC address at high speed and safely in a case of switching an operation system and a backup system.
Further, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2007-20050 (Hasegawa) discloses a multiple channel network apparatus provided with multiple slots to insert multiple LAN cards and a control card. This apparatus is provided with a MAC address storage unit that stores a slot ID and a MAC address in advance. Then, at an operation, the control card assigns a MAC address corresponding to the slot ID to a LAN card inserted into the slot.
The present inventor has found a problem that in the system which stores MAC addresses in the ROM in the server, the configuration concerning the MAC address must be changed in the other devices on a network when switching an operation server. Further, there is a problem in a case of replacing a server or switching an operation server, that the configuration concerning the MAC address must be changed in the OS or the application software on the server. The reason for these problems to occur is that the MAC address stored in the ROM in the server is hard to rewrite, thus it is difficult to take over the MAC address after switching the server.
Moreover, even if the ROM is rewritten using a special tool so as to take over the MAC address when replacing a server or switching an operation server, there is a problem that this process requires an effort and time.
In the system disclosed by Ichimi et al., the MAC addresses which should be assigned to each of the multiple LAN controllers are fixed in advance. Further, the apparatus disclosed by Hasegawa previously specifies a pair of the slot ID and the MAC address in the MAC address storage unit, which cannot be changed. Therefore, according to the techniques disclosed by Ichimi et al. and Hasegawa, since the assignment of MAC addresses is fixed, there is a problem that flexible operation cannot be performed.
As the apparatus disclosed by Hasegawa provides the same MAC address to the operation LAN card and the backup LAN card which is in a standby mode, there is a problem that the backup LAN card cannot be accessed via the network.
Additionally, since the apparatus disclosed By Hasegawa previously specifies a pair of the slot ID and the MAC address in the MAC address storage unit, which cannot be changed, there is a problem that the configuration of operation and backup system cannot be specified across multiple apparatuses.